Abstract: A replaceable, rectangular, flat, selectively permeable filter element (1) for the framelike section (27, 30) of a sheet filter device (20) consisting of metal and/or hard plastic for the filtration of fluids (liquid and/or gas) can be clamped in by its edge in a leak-proof manner and like a sandwich between a housing part (30) on the sediment chamber side and a housing part (27) on the filtrate chamber side and supported against the pressure gradient on a draining housing support plate (27), whereby the sediment chamber and the filtrate chamber are provided with connections (22, 25) for supplying and emptying the housing chambers.